For the past four weeks a group of amateur astronomers, under the direction of Dr. J.D. Armstrong, Educational Outreach Coordinator for the University of Hawaii’s Institute for Astronomy, have been setting up amateur telescopes at some of the hotels where people who have lost their homes have been staying. Derek Takeno of the Red Cross asked Armstrong if it was possible to bring some telescopes out for the residents. Studies have shown that astronomy outreach has a positive mental effect for people suffering from trauma and depression. Plus, the effort, named Stars of Hope, has had an outpouring of volunteers who also have experienced a sense of happiness in being able to share some aloha with people affected by the fires.
“Our volunteers consist of people with a passion for astronomy, including astronomy students from UH Maui College and STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) teachers,” said Dr. Cindy L. Krach, Haleakala Amateur Astronomers. “Individuals from these groups bring out telescopes and set them up on the hotel grounds. Royal Lahaina hotel was the initial site, then Honua Kai, and the Westin Hotel in Kaanapali. The volunteers set up telescopes and then show off the night sky, sharing their knowledge. We have talked story with adults and children alike, some evenings speaking to between 30 and 100 individuals. It’s a very relaxed atmosphere outside in nature. People can just walk up to anyone with a telescope and are encouraged to have a look and ask questions.”
Armstrong reflected, “I just want to do something for people so they know we care. Some people want to share their stories, sometimes they just want to have a relaxing evening under the stars, enjoying a unique experience.”
Krach added, “There is a sense of quiet and peace, but also excitement, particularly with the children. We have received positive feedback from the Red Cross and the people that come to the events. Some have said they had never had the opportunity to look through a telescope before. One little girl came back four times to look at the moon, saying, ‘It’s just so beautiful.’”
We hope to continue our weekly Stars of Hope parties and in the future we’re also planning some events for first responders and their families.
Dr. Cindy L. Krach, Haleakala Amateur Astronomers
Maui Economic Development Board (MEDB) has developed a wide-ranging slate of programs to advance K-12 STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) education for the County of Maui and statewide. Together with an extensive network of partners, MEDB has initiated innovative educational programs and services that support both students and educators. Their end goal is a resident workforce with the technological capabilities, innovation, critical thinking, and entrepreneurial skills to participate fully in Hawaii’s economy.
“Essentially, MEDB’s educational programs are designed to balance the need for economic stability and diversity,” said Leslie Wilkins, MEDB President and CEO. “We design each program with respect for the community’s cultural and environmental traditions.”
Recently, MEDB hosted 150 middle and high school students and STEM educators for Student Space Exploration Day. Participants met with former astronaut Scott ‘Scooter’ Altman for a firsthand discussion of living and working in space. The students also experienced hands-on scientific demonstrations and presentations of advanced technologies.
Altman, a retired United States Navy Captain, talked about his four Space Shuttle missions as well as his time as a Naval aviator, test pilot, engineer, and astronaut. “I like to engage with students because it’s important that we connect with the next generation and get them interested in space-related issues,” he said. “It will be students in this age group, whom I am talking to today, who might be the first ones on Mars!”
Melinda White, Hawaii Technology Academy STEM educator, said, “It’s amazing to bring students to this event and expose them to career pathways that exist for their future in Hawaii. We are a STEMworks™ school and truly appreciate all the opportunities MEDB provides for students across the state; such as their Lending Library which includes a portable planetarium.”
Wilson Chau, a Maui High School junior, said, “Meeting astronaut Scott Altman was a great experience. I am currently doing a project with the James Webb telescope and I learned so much from Mr. Altman’s talk. Thank you, MEDB and STEMworks, for all the opportunities you give students from different backgrounds to encounter the current advances in technology. I am grateful for this chance to further my career goals.”
Student Space Exploration Day really opens the students up to different opportunities they never even thought of. It is so difficult to get exposure like this for them. MEDB makes it all happen!
Jennifer Suzuki, Maui Waena School Technology Teacher
A 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, Common Ground Collective (CGC) strives to transform Maui into a bountiful and productive island that benefits both the environment and the people who live here, in extraordinary ways. Their administrative staff is a passionate group of individuals with experience in sustainable sciences, business management, research, agriculture, politics, law and the hospitality industry. They employ mobile farmers with skills such as regenerative farming practices, to transform unproductive land into blossoming farms throughout the community. CGC promotes food security, economic opportunities, educational opportunities including student internships, and sustainability through hands-on assistance and incentives. Recently, they have also turned their attention to relief efforts to those affected by the Maui fires.
“The wildfires have taken a great toll on our community and the community food security needs immediately surged,” said CGC Founding Executive Director, Jennifer Karaca. “On August 9th, after the Salvation Army’s (the state-contracted food provider during times of emergency) kitchen had burned down, CGC was contacted by Maui United Way to step in. We immediately acquired the kitchen at University of Hawaii Maui College (UHMC), coordinated the UHMC staff, various government agencies, the Chef Hui, and the World Central Kitchen (WCK) in order to begin providing meals for those in shelters, at various community hubs, and in the residence facilities not offering food. We have been working to incorporate products from local producers as much as possible to help offset the economic fallout of this disaster.”
While coordinating 8,000-10,000 meals a day for those in need, the CGC maintains its existing programs to promote food security island-wide. Karaca explained, “We will continue to procure local produce, proteins, and other added-value products needed for both UHMC and WCK, in addition to bulk food items for the community distribution hubs who are wanting to cook for themselves. Our organization strives to teach community members, volunteers, and students how to grow food, and provides essential knowledge and hands-on training for the efficient management of properties, while creating and nurturing connections with our many partners within the community. Bottom line, it’s about working together and helping each other.”
As we promote food security, education and economic opportunities on Maui, we also hope to set up a framework to bring this model of service to other areas in Hawaii and abroad.
Jennifer Karaca, CGC Founding Executive Director
This summer, 20 middle-school girls had the opportunity to attend Excite Camp, a STEMworks™ program sponsored by Maui Economic Development Board (MEDB). The three-day camp encourages girls to pursue education and careers in STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics), while offering stimulating, experience-based instruction focused on today’s most in-demand career fields. The event combines lectures, hands-on-activities, and company-site tours while honoring Hawaiian culture.
Leslie Wilkins, MEDB President and CEO, said, “Besides the learning experience, STEMworks believes it is important for the girls to see the connection between Hawaii’s cultural heritage and scientific technology. Integrating Hawaiian traditions into hands-on STEM learning activities helps foster cultural understanding and ensures equity of access for all.”
Lalaine Pasion, STEMworks Program Specialist, explained, “Excite Camp builds confidence and motivates our young ladies with STEM activities, demonstrating that they can achieve anything they set their minds on. The girls experienced interactive learning, exciting technology tours, epic field trips, and STEM empowerment sessions. At the end of the program, the girls were no longer strangers, but colleagues and friends. They learned the value of teamwork, communication, and respect for their island heritage.”
‘Iolani Kū’oha, Vice-Principal at Molokai Middle School, noted, “I can’t say enough about the opportunities STEMworks has provided for our Molokai students over the years. They are inspired to work hard and dream big at events like Excite Camp. ‘A’ ohe hana nui ke alu ‘ia. No task is too big when done together.”
Paige Kealoha Nakihei, 7th grade Molokai Middle School, said, “Excite Camp gave me a better view of STEM careers in our Hawaiian culture. STEMworks allows me to learn more about science with girls my age. Mahalo nui loa, MEDB!”
Middle school student Destiny-Rayne Perry added, “We also got to see a film about Patsy Mink, who proved to everyone in Hawaii that women can do anything a man can do. By participating in programs like Excite Camp we show respect for what Patsy Mink won for all women and girls with Title IX. We are encouraged to embrace our uniqueness, stay connected to our roots, and to share our story.”
Excite Camp is successful because of our great community partners who are willing to share their knowledge, time, and resources to teach our girls fun, hands-on STEM activities, give them onsite tours, and impart cultural knowledge.
Lalaine Pasion, STEMworks Program Specialist
The Digital Bus, currently managed by Maui Economic Development Board (MEDB), is a program of Alaka’ina, a nonprofit 501(c)3 which ensures that the young men and women of Hawaii have the skills and competencies they need to be effective leaders. MEDB and Alaka’ina have made the Digital Bus program a reality with innovative educational programs that combine leadership, science, technology, and environmental stewardship. The Digital Bus offers mobile STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) classrooms to supplement curriculum to the students of Maui and Molokai as well as encourage interest in science and technology among the underrepresented student population.
“In operation since 2004, the Digital Bus offers single- and multiple-day classroom and field-based STEM projects to K-12 students,” said Leslie Wilkins, MEDB President and CEO. “Developed out of necessity due to the altered school year regulations during the Covid-19 pandemic, virtual projects were designed to be a combination of self-directed activities, classroom discussions, research projects, and video chats with the Digital Bus.”
Presently, projects are available for a range of grade levels. Scheduling for the Digital Bus is currently open for teachers who are interested in organizing a project for their class, and it can also be booked for community events. Additionally, professional development workshops through a teacher lending program provide opportunities for technology integration into curriculum and classroom usage.
U’ilani Lima, Molokai Digital Bus Site Coordinator, said, “The Digital Bus allows participants to have meaningful science-based outdoor experiences in ahupua’a (land divisions) from which they can directly learn and observe their own community’s resiliency and ecosystems. More importantly, students gain a deeper understanding of their rich cultural history, which includes the wisdom of ancient Hawaiians as environmental stewards. Participants benefit from contact with local community members, specialists, and kupuna while also integrating cutting edge technology such as water- and soil-testing equipment, data collection and mapping activities, and hands-on field-based activities. The Digital Bus projects aim to expand the next generation of leaders and scientists capable of developing and supporting critical technologies for the future with state-of-the-art mobile learning platforms and field-based science projects.”
The current technology goal of the Digital Bus Program is to develop skills that will result in more options for youth in Maui County.
In a featured talk, “Sharing Our Visions, Opportunities and Challenges in the Energy Industry”, at the 2023 Hawaii Energy Conference (HEC), Shelee Kimura, President and CEO of Hawaiian Electric, and Alicia Moy, President and CEO of Hawaii Gas, discussed Hawaii’s energy future from the perspective of their companies. Moderated by Jacqui Hoover, Chair, Conference Program Committee; Executive Director and COO, Hawaii Island Economic Development Board; and President, Hawaii Leeward Planning, the conversation was both informative and encouraging.
Hoover asked, “What message do you both want to send to the energy sector and to our communities? What goals can be filled and how do your two companies complement each other?”
Kimura said, “Hawaiian Electric’s economy-wide decarbonization plan includes every sector. We hope to adopt the 2030 aspirational goal to reduce our carbon emission by 50% in the state’s economy and then by 70% in the electricity sector. Hawaii Gas just filed their long-term plan which is intended to help Hawaii reach our 100% renewable energy goals by 2045. Our individual paths are very unique, but when we frame them together, which we must now, we can get things done. We are both working to get clean energy projects permitted, interconnected, and operational in a reasonable amount of time. Hawaii Gas is an important part of that. They are exploring carbon-free fuel for the long-term. Our challenge is to act and execute while we continue to innovate. We need to make these things happen at the same time. It is not easy.”
Moy added, “Shelee and I have bonded over Hawaii’s energy solutions, especially for the future of our next generation. I feel that there has been a shift. Once there was that competition, but now we know our future depends on working together. Hawaii Gas is focused on how Hawaii will meet its climate goals and the role we will play. If the state needs a recovery from any crisis, Hawaii Gas will be part of the solution. By increasing the amount of hydrogen blending in the pipeline plus other new technologies and innovations, there are new opportunities opening for all of us.”
It is achievable to reduce carbon emissions by more than two-thirds over this decade if everyone pitches in. Both of our companies want to create a cost-effective, sustainable, and resilient energy system for future generations.
Shelee Kimura, President & CEO, Hawaiian Electric, Alicia Moy, President & CEO, Hawaii Gas
Celebrating its 10th anniversary, the 2023 Hawaii Energy Conference (HEC), recently held at the Maui Arts & Cultural Center, was presented by the Maui Economic Development Board (MEDB) with the support of the County of Maui Office of Economic Development. Experts and stakeholders from Hawaii, Canada, the continental U.S., Asia-Pacific and elsewhere exchanged ideas on how to better serve our communities in today’s rapidly-changing, energy-conscious environment. Including a diverse range of speakers and topics, attendees gained new insights about what it will take for Hawaii to reach its mandate of producing 100% clean energy by 2045.
“Each panel and invited talk was designed to give attendees the tools, knowledge, and connections they need to make meaningful changes,” said Leslie Wilkins, MEDB President and CEO. “We have to commit, incentivize innovation, and work together to reach our sustainability goals for a brighter future for Hawaii.”
According to Hawaiian Electric, 32% of electricity generated on Oahu, Hawaii Island, and Maui County was from renewable resources last year. Hawaii Island generated 48%, Maui County generated 36%, and Oahu generated 28%. Kauai County led the state, achieving more than 60% last year through its own cooperative that also has a planned pumped storage hydroelectric project in West Kauai. Brad Rockwell, COO, Kauai Island Utility Cooperative, explained, “One hundred percent of Kauai’s daytime demand for electricity is met by renewables. Long-term storage will be the water reservoir, which runs a 4MW hydroelectric generator and a 20MW. This long-term storage can bring Kauai to 100% renewable.”
Additionally, hydrogen proposals and on-going projects on how to make, store, and use it in Hawaii were discussed. Mitch Ewan, Hydrogen Systems Program Manager at HNEI, shared, “On the Big Island, hydrogen-fueled vehicles are already operating. HNEI buses and trucks have an infrastructure for public transportation, they fuel rapidly and provide long-endurance energy storage. Hydrogen offers energy security for Hawaii.”
Keynote speaker Daphne Frias, a youth climate justice activist from New York, emphasized, “We need to include more youth and those with disabilities in the climate conversation. At the end of the day, we all live on this one planet.”
The community can be involved in the Hawaii Legislature, not only by testifying, but also by engaging specific legislators who stalled bills on issues of concern. We need to solve problems together.
Senator Lynn DeCoite, Chair; Senate Committee on Energy, Economic Development and Tourism; State of Hawaii
Maui Matcha, the sleek, minimalist-style Kaanapali café in Whalers Village, opened one year ago by entrepreneur, professional nutrition expert and UH Manoa graduate Michelle Nayebkhil. Upon receiving her license as a nutrition educator from the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM) in Washington D.C., Nayebkhil was convinced that the right lifestyle can prevent and possibly cure certain diet-related illnesses such as obesity, heart disease, and high blood pressure. To share this insight with the public, she launched the new café.
“The PCRM program was the foundation for Maui Matcha,” Nayebkhil said. “Food and drink are so important to a daily healthy lifestyle. The past few years have seen matcha rise through the ranks of the beverage hierarchy, particularly in the wellness industry. However, research has shown that matcha is far more than just a phase or trend. I wanted to do something health-centered, something that benefits the health of others and makes them feel good. Matcha provided a chance to do this, and to help grow a healthy Maui community.”
“The matcha green color comes from the pre-harvest shading techniques, a method nearly 1,000 years old that encourages higher concentrations of health-boosting compounds,” Nayebkhil explained. “Matcha requires a special type of preparation. It starts with the green tea leaves, but these are taken from plants that have been shade-grown. During shaded growth, tea plants produce more theanine and caffeine, which give matcha its distinctive intense taste and green color.”
At the recently held Maui Matcha one year anniversary event, Nayebkhil introduced a new line of matcha skincare products called MATCHA MCENTEA, by Maui resident Ashley McEntee. After being diagnosed with celiac and navigating a gluten-free lifestyle, McEntee realized her gluten reactions were also triggered topically through health and beauty products. “One morning, consuming my daily matcha latte, it dawned on me, why not use the vitamin-enriched properties of matcha by taking it to the next level and formulating equally beneficial products for the skin,” McEntee noted. “The company, founded in 2020 and built from the ground up, uses ceremonial-grade matcha tea powder, and is committed to taking a holistic approach to skincare.”
My vision is to get people to try matcha in all different varieties and flavors and to learn about its health benefits, both dietetically and topically.
Michelle Nayebkhil, Maui Matcha, founder and owner
Maui Economic Development Board (MEDB) STEMworks™ recently led its 21st annual Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day (IGED). Held in conjunction with National Engineering Week, IGED helps to build and strengthen Hawaii’s workforce by encouraging girls, women, and underrepresented groups into STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) education and careers.
“Virtually every field in every sector of the economy is needing STEM professionals—people who are literate and fluent in various technology subjects,” said Leslie Wilkins, MEDB President and CEO. “To meet this need, STEMworks empowers our youth to be self-directed learners, to be resilient, to stay current and be adaptive to change, and, most importantly, to have the confidence that they can succeed.”
Designed to create interest in the field of engineering, IGED inspired over 50 middle-school-aged girls from across Maui County to pursue engineering and technology careers and raised awareness of the contributions engineers make to the community. “This memorable day-long event included an educational video showcasing the various types of engineering careers, as well as a fun, hands-on engineering activity,” said Katie Taladay, STEMworks Program Manager. “It is important for STEMworks to provide and develop innovative community-based events, such as IGED, which are designed to plan for Hawaii’s future generations.”
Due to the global pandemic, this year the IGED event was virtual, free, and open to 6th – 8th grade girls. The agenda included a welcome with helpful information about STEM opportunities, and panel discussions followed by breakout sessions with female engineers and female students majoring in engineering. The speakers shared the pathway into their careers, role models they had, and challenges they faced. Each participant who registered ahead of time was mailed a kit to create a robot circuit popup card.During this activity, students learned about the engineering design process, simple circuits and problem solving.
Wilkins added, “STEMworks continues to train students as well as teachers in industry-standard software and engineering design practices using hands-on curriculum, regional conferences, and workshops. We work with educators, industry partners and the community to build a thriving STEM education-to-workforce pipeline throughout Hawaii. We are making a difference!”
The Mayor of Maui made an official proclamation for February 25th to be IGED Day for Maui County. Ashely Otomo, a professional civil engineer; Alyza Leyva, a student from Maui Waena; and I met the mayor to accept the proclamation
